Heraldry in the Codex

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

Asking for help from the creative folks of the Castle:

I'm continuing my project of creating coats of arms for the various polities, principalities, and peoples of the Eleven Kingdoms and environs, and I've reached a creative block with Carthmoor. The duchy was of course carved from the old kingdom of Mooryn when that kingdom was absorbed into Gwynedd, and the other duchy so created was Corwyn.

I was thinking that the CoA of Carthmoor might mirror that of Corwyn (reposted below), but I thought that I would start with a shield sable (like Corwyn), but make the double tressure flory-counter-flory argent instead of or (see below, Carthmoor WIP).

My block is that I don't know with what to charge the shield: a gryphon, like Corwyn, but perhaps a different color? (I disinclined toward this one.) A different animal or other charge? If so, what color? Vert, like the Corwyn gryphon? Is there something in the history of the dukes of Carthmoor that suggests a charge? Perhaps the Haldane lion, given that the duchy is usually in the possession of a cadet branch of the House of Haldane? (see below, Carthmoor-Haldane lion). If so, should the lion be vert? or (as below)? some other tincture (color, metal, or stain)?

[Evie]

I would go with blue in there somewhere, if not as the field color, then as the main charge color. Nigel was often depicted as wearing sapphire blue instead of Haldane crimson, so it seems reasonable to infer that he is dressed in his Carthmoor colors in those scenes. (Also, I think he is described as having a lion in his change, so maybe that would also be in the Carthmoor arms, especially if it is a royal duchy.)

[Marc_du_Temple]

These are magnificent!

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

Thanks, Marc du Temple!

Evie, good points about Nigel. What about this, with Corwyn again, for comparison.

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

And for good measure, the Duchy and House of Haldane as crimson rather than red.

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

The rest of the Forcinn states, starting with the Duchy of Joux. All of these (Joux, Vézaire, Logréine, and Thuria/Thurie) include a St. George's Cross design, since the latter three derived in one way or another from Joux.

Charges and eschutcheons are drawn from the descriptions of the produce and the culture of each Forcinn principality in the Codex. Have fun figuring them out!

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

Logréine, Thuria (Thurie), and Vézaire—

Can you tell that I'm having fun at this?!!

[Evie]

1464 Joux is hoping to reassimilate its neighbors, so that works.  And I like the Carthmoor arms with that blue field.

[revanne]

These are wonderful.

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

Thanks to you all for your kind words!

These are the work of an amateur who loves heraldry but whose knowledge is far, far from encyclopedic. Those of you who know more, please correct me when I've made mistakes—it's one of the best ways to learn.

And anyone who likes them and finds any value in them may use them in any way you may wish. Refer to them in your stories, use them in your Deryni RPG game, etc. I have no proprietary interest in them. I'm just having fun.

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

Evie, not to make the assimilation of their former territories by the Dukes of Joux more difficult, but...

I think it possible that Logréine, given that it wrested its independence from Joux; and that Thuria (Thurie) existed as a sovereign county before Joux assimilated them (and then gave them independence again as the domain of a distaff cadet branch of the ducal family) might have coats of arms that more reflect their independence of Joux.

So I offer these as alternatives for those principalities. Perhaps the St. George Cross forms would become the CoAs of those realms as dependent fiefdoms of a united (Grand?) Duchy of Joux.

To reflect the Thuria's direct origin from Tralia, the green (vert) of their CoA is the same sea green of the CoA of Orsal and Tralia.

[Evie]

Those look nice too. I especially like the Thurian one.

Feel free to thwart the ambitions of Joux. My Gwyneddans certainly hope to.

[Frère de Saint-Gabriel]

New alternative CoA for Thuria, with the bull and the goat statant rather than rampant. Doing my part to thwart the designs of Joux.

Long live the several Forcinn states!

Also arms for the Knights of the Anvil—with Michaeline echoes....

[Evie]

I love the Anviller ones! I'm a sucker for a simple but elegant design.

[Evie]

You should join us in tomorrow evening's chat! KK's late husband used to work as a real modern-world herald when they lived in Ireland, IIRC. I'm sure she would love to see these.